Trace-lock.



No. 659,063. Patented Oct. 2, I900. I

T. J. HALSTEAD TRACE LOCK (Application filed June 16, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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W/TNESSES Pnoffluruq, WASHINGTON. a. c

THOMAS J. HALSTEAD, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

TRACE-LOCK.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 659,063, dated October 2, 1900.

Application filed June 16, 1900. Serial No. 20,561. (No model.)

To alt whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. HALSTEAD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have in vented a new and Improved Trace-Lock, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a trace-lock consisting of a ferrule adapted for attachment to a whiffletree and a button carried by the ferrule, which button can be placed and held in either a horizontal or a vertical position and be operated by one hand as readily in the dark as in the light.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one end of a whiffletree having the improved lock applied and illustrating a trace as locked to the whiftletree by the improved device. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the device and the trace, the parts of the lock being in the locking position shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, the button of the lock being horizontally placed to permit a trace to be carried from or be placed in connection with the whiffletree.

A represents a portion of a whiffletree, an end of which is fitted with and secured in a ferrule B, and said ferrule may be of an ornamental character, if desired. This ferrule at its outer or closed end is provided with a bifurcated projection or extension B, the up per and lower surfaces of which are flat and the side surfaces more or less tapered, so that the bifurcated extension is of slightlyless dimensionstransversely at its outer end than where it connects with the ferrule. A pin 11 is passed across the space between the members 10 of the bifurcated extension B, and this pin is secured in said members in any suitable or approved manner. The inner wall 12 of the space between the members B is concaved to a greater or a less extent, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. V

The second portion of the lock consists of a button D, and this button comprises a tubular shell or casing 14, permanently closed at one end, which permanently-closed end 17 is located within the said casing or shell, having bearing on the permanently-closed end 17 and against the pin 11.

When a trace is to be placed in connection with a whiffletree, the permanently-closed end 17 of the button is pressed in direction of the pivot-pin 11, thereby contracting the spring 16, whereupon the button may be turned upon its pivot and the end 17 of the button may be made to engage with the concaved wall 12 in the bifurcated extension, as shown in Fig.

3, whereupon the button is held by the spring and its frictional engagement with the said wall 12 in a horizontal position, and the eye of the trace 0 may be readily passed over the button and onto the ferrule extension B, 89

whereupon the button is turned so as to disengage the end 17 from the wall 12, and. when the button assumes the vertical position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 it is held in such position by the spring, which expands, and the trace is prevented from coming ofi from the whiffletree. The inclination of the bifurcated extension B tends to keep the trace close up against the button D. When the trace is to beremoved, the button D is again brought 90 to its horizontal position.

It is obvious that the button may be manipulated in the dark as readily as in the light and that the entire lock is simple, effective, and durable.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A trace-lock, comprisinga trace-receiving section having a forked end, theinner wall between the membersof the fork being concaved, a button pivotally and slidably mounted between the members of the fork and having one convexed end adapted to en- The pin 60 gage the concave wall between the members of the fork, and a spring carried by the button and serving to hold the same in alinement with the trace-carrying section or at right angles thereto, substantially as described.

2. A trace-lock consisting of a bifurcated section having a concaved inner wall between its members and means for attachmentto a whiflietree, a pin passed through the members of said bifurcated section, and a button consisting of a shell permanently closed at one end, which permanently-closed end is convexed at its outer surface, the opposite end of the shell being provided with a block which 

